You’re a teenage Tom Cruise, at least you wish you were, but stay with me on this! Your parents are away, you’re home alone with dad’s liquor cabinet. For certain, you’re going to get into some risky business as the movie progresses, but your initial impulse is to dance around the house in a shirt and pants. I’ve no interest in seeing you in your pants, Tom, what makes the scene so iconic is surely the song choice. Because Bob Segar was bang on the money; experimentation in music is good, but the scene wouldn’t have the same impact if he was listening to Jean-Michel Jarre. Sometimes you do need some old time rock n roll…..
Now, imagine Bob never recorded that song; what song would you pick instead? Options, people, options aplenty, but here, take the 49 to Swindon and try Dulcet Tones for size. Since a single from last May, they’ve a debut EP, Back To Bassett; okay, it’s got a few local references including, bizarrely, an Avebury-Chuck Berry link, but it’s old time rock n roll, at least “rock” if you’re nitpicking, still, the kind of timeless music that soothes the soul.
A bit of delay in mentioning this, apologies to the band, frontman Andrew McLennan, lead guitarist Nick Osman, bassist Darryl Wilks and drummer Rob Cooper, but it makes for perfect air guitar practice from beginning to end! Embellished by wailing guitar riffs to make ZZ Top blush, driving drum rolls, and that archetypal hoarse vocal rebel yell, the opening tune, As I Am, doesn’t wait for you to adjust your funky pants, but being the simple premise is taking them as they are or not at all, the choice is a no brainer; this absolutely rocks!
In essence it’s “good ol’ boy’s music,” windows down summery driving rock, wind in your beard, and it’s more fun than deeply meaningful. Hold On stomps with elements of Tom Petty, or maybe harder, think Aerosmith, Lynyrd Skynyrd, but has the on-the-road narrative to mirror what I’m trying to say, I hope!
Three quid for four solid tunes means we’re driving to the halfway house. Dream Home soothes the tempo, there’s notions of Guns & Roses at their most sentimental. Oh, this is cool; if dulcet tones implies sweet, melodious, and pleasing, this tune proves they’ve named themselves appropriately.
Title track comes last, does it need saying Back to Bassett has some local references? Not outright slating the town, nor as the concept extends to other local urban areas, like Swindon’s Old Town, rather it suggests they’d prefer to chill out in a more rural and spiritual setting, an adventure citing our ancient stones and monuments. In subject it’s obviously not going to work well with the Americana of the previous tunes, making this one sound more akin to British psychedelic rock, weighty and significantly Levellers.
Back to Bassett as a track was a pleasant surprise, and proves Dulcet Tones are no one trick pony. Back to Bassett as an EP is loudly and proudly moreish, using the tried and tested formula of classic rock subgenres, like the California sound of Buffalo Springfield or Crosby, Stills, & Nash, and heaps of rock and roll revival, yet with the finale, there’s adherents of neopagan rock.
I’ve seen their band name listed gigging about the circuit, Swindon Shuffle I think most, but now I need to grow some hair and make a beeline. You could, if you so wished, say I’m old-fashioned, say I’m over the hill. I’d rebuke it without too much botheration, because I keep myself eclectic through personal want and need in writing this blog, but there’s many occasions when I contemplate Bob’s words and agree; today’s music ain’t got the same soul, and go for that old-time rock ‘n’ roll. When I do, now thankfully I have Dulcet Tones; you should too, you old rocker!
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